Two years after attack, Oley family hopes proposed federal legislation provides help

Michael McDaniel, second from left, suffers from chronic paranoid schizophrenia and his family, father Alan McDaniel, left, mother Nina McDaniel, right, and grandmother Helen Badulak believed the mental health system had failed him after he tried to beat Badulak to death two years ago. Proposed federal mental health legislation may help.

For years, Michael McDaniel's family tried to get him help for his chronic paranoid schizophrenia, but privacy laws prevented doctors from telling the family details of Michael's case.

Then on Jan. 23, 2012, Michael walked into the bedroom of his grandmother Helen Badulak and tried his hardest to beat her to death with her own cane.

He failed in his attempt, but his family believed the mental health system had failed him.

In the two years since the attack, Michael has been placed in Wernersville State Hospital, and his family has urged legislators to make changes to health care rules.

Now his parents, Nina and Alan McDaniel of Oley, are thrilled that some legislators seem to have listened.

U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, an Allegheny County Republican, has introduced the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, a series of changes that would overhaul the mental health system.

Sharing patient information

One of the changes would allow doctors to share patients' information with parents and caregivers in some cases instead of requiring them to strictly adhere to privacy rules in HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.

"If this bill was in place prior to our experience, Michael wouldn't be where he's at now and we wouldn't be where we are now," Alan said.

To draft the bill, Murphy drew on his experience as a clinical psychologist and as a lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve Medical Service Corps. He treats military patients for post-traumatic stress disorder and other illnesses.

"Too many individuals with severe and persistent mental illness will continue to go without medical treatment unless we break down the barriers that keep parents and relatives from being part of the care team," Murphy said. "By fixing misunderstood HIPAA rules and expanding access to acute care, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act will turn the sorrow of loss and tragedy into the joy of recovery for millions of families across the country."

U.S. Reps. Charles W. Dent, Jim Gerlach and Patrick Meehan, all Republicans who represent parts of Berks County, have signed on as co-sponsors. U.S. Rep. Joseph R. Pitts, a Chester County Republican who represents part of Berks, said in a statement: "Congressman Murphy has put a lot of effort into finding solutions to a difficult problem. His professional expertise is especially valuable in this area. I'm eager to take a closer look at it."

"It's about time," Hawkins said. "I know Nina has been asking for this for quite some time in so many ways. She came into my office two years ago talking about similar concerns. You can't get any information whatsoever about your loved one."

Nina said the bill has given her hope.

"We have been on the outside for so long," Nina said.

"The system has us as outsiders," Badulak said.

But not everyone supports the bill.

The Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania, the Mental Health Association in Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers' Association worry the bill will eradicate critical mental health services and protections.

In a statement, the organizations said concerns include changing privacy laws in ways that would lead to the erosion of patient protections and to the disruption of patient-provider relationships.

They also said involuntary treatment is a last resort and that changes to those regulations could violate people's rights.

Michael McDaniel backs bill

Michael, 32, said during an interview while on a visit to his parents' home from the state hospital that he supports the bill.

He said he still hears voices in his head as he has for years.

"They're like high-pitched voices, like children," he said. "If I want to listen all the time, I could, but I just block it out."

The McDaniels live in the former Oley Valley Inn, which closed in 2008. The McDaniels bought the property and are restoring it with the intent to open it as an organic bed-and-breakfast featuring a museum of decorative pysanky Easter eggs made by Badulak.

Relaxing in the inn's front room recently and sipping from a bottle of water, Michael said he prefers not to speak about the attack on his grandmother, during which he thought he had killed her.

Sitting nearby, Badulak began to cry. She said she still wants to have therapy sessions with Michael to move past the ordeal.

"Both of us needed that and we still do," Badulak said.

But the mental health system is overburdened and such an accommodation has not yet been made, she said.

"We keep reliving the trauma, day after day, with no closure," Nina said.